Letter: Broadcasters’ fees hurt TV subscribers

Cable provider deserves credit for trying to keep costs down.

Editor:

It seems as if Service Electric Cablevision deserves a tip of the hat for at least attempting to negotiate with a local broadcaster to keep retransmission fees reasonable ("Service Electric drops WGAL-TV from lineup," Reading Eagle, Jan. 3). These rising fees are what cause cable (and satellite) bills to keep escalating, which in my opinion is nothing more than thievery by broadcasters. I don't mind paying for HBO or one of the other movie channels because the programming is uninterrupted and ads are between programs and are merely promos for other programming. But broadcast and cable-only networks set their advertising rates the same way print media (newspapers and magazines) do. Higher circulation translates to higher rates.

I wonder why these retransmission fees are even legal. Is it now illegal to pick up WGAL and other broadcast signals with a simple antenna? These greedy thieves should just be glad that the satellite and cable companies carry them. CBS regularly enters the same argument with DISH Network, then folds to customer pressure and passes the increased cost to them.

Francis SimekBreinigsville

Editor's note: A 1992 federal law requires cable and satellite providers to obtain permission from broadcasters to carry over-the-air channels.